Samantha Markle claims she brought up her sister Meghan for 12 years when they were growing up

Who is Samantha Markle?

Mum-of-three Samantha Markle, also known as Samantha Grant, is a 53-year-old former actress and model, who lives in Florida, US.

She shares a dad with her half-sister Meghan Markle.

Their father, Thomas Markle, who knew about Meghan’s royal romance for as long as five months before the news came out, had recently become bankrupt, having once been a successful lighting director in America.

In the past, Samantha has claimed to have raised Meghan for 12 years when she was growing up in California.

However, other sources speculate that the pair had little to do with one another – and were raised completely separately.

A Source told E! News: “As they were 17 years apart, they were never raised in the same house. Meghan was raised an only child by her loving parents.”

Was Samantha Markle invited to the Royal Wedding?

Samantha was not invited to the Royal Wedding.

In an interview with Channel Four show Meet The Markles she said: “There are some members of the family who have an air of entitlement about even a wedding invite, I don’t understand why we didn’t get one but I don’t expect or demand one.”

It has previously been reported that Samantha and Meghan have not spoken for the past decade.

Just days before the ceremony, The Sun exclusively revealed that Samantha had slammed claims Kensington Palace was helping dad Thomas in hospital amid his health problems.